Care.com Scam (Chester: credit, house, school)

[Midwesterns45]

This is a stupid question but is this a scam? How could people fall for this? I am guessing this guy sends out a ton of these scripted e-mails to people that are looking for decent pay work. Given the amount of e-mails sent, There has to be some poor suckers that actually deposit the phony check and then wire a portion of the total back to the guy.

I do not really understand advance check scams. How does the scammer get access to your bank account? Is it through the check or money order? What is the secure information that can be hacked and then used to drain your bank account?

I know that the bank will hold you liable when the check bounces. Care.com is also not liable but their reputation will sink if they allow these users to continue to prey on people that are looking for a job. I am DONE using care.com after this.

Should I inform the state police, bank or FBI? The guy has a 832 area code (Texas) but I'm guessing thats also a phony number. I think he has reached out to a lot of people in the NYC area since his profile locates him in Brooklyn.

HERES THE E-MAIL.

Hello How is your day going? Thanks for your response, I am glad to read from you. I am a Father 3, Samuel, John and Samantha, they are 5 yrs, 3yrs and 6 month respectively.I attended Chicago School for the Deaf where I achieved my highest qualification. I have my own business (Self Employed). I attend the catholic. We are in the process of relocating to your area. I am 38 and I am hard of hearing. I work based on the development and counseling of the deaf people in the community, I am moving to your area in few weeks with my adorable dog and I really need a honest and responsible care for my pet. Chester he is cute and adorable he is very friendly and playful. he is also very much comfortable with other dogs and cat too he enjoys being indoors with us. Going for walks Chester is very favorite activity. he plays well with other dogs too. Chester is house trained and crate trained.... and have contacted a suppliers for the dog Cage, toys, blankets,food,bed.and other things you will care for him starting 16th of December I will appreciate if you can tell me a few things about yourself and maybe attach one or two pictures of you, below are your duties:

House Sitting,Mail/Newspaper Retrieval,Watering Plants,Pet Sitting/walking,Daily Feeding

This could be a temporary/permanent job. It depends on what your schedule looks like and also i will like you to know the hours are flexible but I do like to be sure if you are available the first month. I made some research on the wages for your service and I have decided to start with $25 per hour and as time goes we can negotiate on a new pay as my dog get along with you. I want to inform you that I have a seminar I will be attending to as soon as I arrive and will be having an interview section with you immediately I arrive with my Dog. Also I will like to include your pay to our payroll for the period just to have you booked down and secure for my Pet. I will be needing the following information below to issue out the check to you and I need your direct mobile number so I can text you in case I need to pass an urgent information:

Full Name:
Address:
Apt:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone #:

I have made some arrangements with the dog utility suppliers, so as soon as you get the payment, you will deduct your first week pay and have the rest sent to the dog utility suppliers as soon as the check clears, I hope my Dog will have the best of time while is in your care and I hope you will treat him right just like yours. Get back to me as I have a lot of issue to put in place prior to my arrival. I look forward to hearing back from you.


Thank you and God bless.

[Midwesterns45]

May I add that this person never addresses me by my name.

[5-all]

Of course this is a scam. Here is the heart of it:

"as soon as you get the payment, you will deduct your first week pay and have the rest sent to the dog utility suppliers as soon as the check clears"

Scammer sends you a check, you deposit the check into your account and send payment to "dog utility suppliers" which is the scammer's account. Check bounces and you were scammed for the amount sent to the scammer.

[Kefir King]

But doesn't "as soon as the check clears" keep you from a loss? The loss occurs when you send the balance BEFORE the check clears...and it is bounced back.


This line would have me running for the hills:
"Hello How is your day going? Thanks for your response, I am glad to read from you."
or this one:


"I attend the catholic."

[5-all]

If you have the amount of the check or more in your account then your bank will release the funds to you before the check actually clears. If you pay for the "dog utility supplies" at that point you will be scammed of the money you send. If you wait for the check to officially clear then expect it to bounce. You will only be out the bounced check fees.

Send me a check for $7,000 and I'll tell you more about how these check cashing scams work.

[Kefir King]

Originally Posted by 5-all

Send me a check for $7,000 and I'll tell you more about how these check cashing scams work.

The check is on it's way. Please send me $3500 "in good faith."

[Midwesterns45]

So the fake check arrived in the mail. The return address was in Austin Texas.. I have called the Austin police to notify them about this address but who even knows if this is where the scammer lives. It is a legit address though. I'm guessing he does not live there and if he does, he is a moron to reveal his address.

I expect to receive a call from a detective and hopefully they will be able and willing to catch this guy. I don't know if he's just a petty scammer or a part of a larger criminal organization.

[Kefir King]

Midwesterns,
I think your bank is at fault here. If they trust a check is good, clear it, and credit you with the money, it is THEIR stupidity and not yours that has caused a loss.


If I were you I would write the bank AND
http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/fileacomplaint.htm